I gave this place one star because the guacamole was good and the interior is clean.. Everything else: service, presentation and actual food was bad. We're vegetarians, who don't make a lot of demands. We asked if we could get a taco without ground meat. We were told no. We tried small changes (beans instead of meat, no meat added, etc.) but the waitress said she wouldn't even put it on the ticket because the "cook would just ignore it" as she made motion of throwing a ticket over her shoulder. She seemed a little irritated that we asked about items on the menu. Each time came by, she would say in an irritated tone "are you ready YET" . Since it was obvious this restaurant was not interested in meeting any dietary needs of their customers, we decided to just order something we could eat without asking any more questions. My husband got chips and salsa, and the cheese chile relleno with rice and beans. Since I couldn't substitute anything and I would end up giving my husband my rice, I ordered the papitas à la carte and the cheese enchilada plate with rice and beans. I also got a small (VERY small) guacamole. Now that the ordeal of ordering was over we relaxed and enjoyed the ambience. It is a clean little place and although they were several people dining it was quiet. The chairs were comfortable the tables were big enough. The interior was nicely decorated. One of the things that drew us to the restaurant was that Yelp stated they had outdoor patio. We didn't go to the patio but my husband looked at it before we ate and said that it was a nice, separate area across the parking lot. I told him we'd have to try it the next time we came. Then our food arrived. It's always been my opinion that it's very hard to mess up Mexican food, whether it's New Mexican or Tex-Mex. Basically it's corn, beans, rice, posole, salsas, with cheese or meat. Kocina de Rapfael proved me wrong! Without having been in the kitchen I can't swear, but I strongly believe that they had pre-cooked the food and put it somewhere to sit until somebody ordered it. I suspected it when they wouldn't make even the most simple substitution that every Mexican restaurant has always been willing to do. But when the food came my suspicion grew into a certainty. You could beat on my enchiladas with a fork (see video) and it would literally make a sound like hitting a hard surface. I've never been given a steak knife for cheese enchiladas before, but I needed it to cut through the laminated tortillas that they had wrapped around a big glom of cheese that was so hard it made me gag to swallow it. The cheese on top was burnt to the plate and made a solid, inedible surface on top of the tortillas. I managed to cut a bite, but I couldn't chew it. I had to do that awkward spit it in your napkin thing, hoping that the surrounding diners wouldn't see it and be grossed out. I tried cutting the side of the enchilada open and just eating some of the cheese and it was another disaster. The cheese inside the enchilada was something I've never encountered. It was cheddar, it tasted like cheddar, but it was such a big glob and was so hard that it was making me gag to try and chew it. The papitas tasted like old MacDonald fries that had been put back in the fryer for a minute then served. Instead of being crunchy or crispy they were soft in the middle and hard to chew around the edges. The beans were a pile of dry, smashed up refried beans with no flavor, no seasoning. I don't think they used cumin or other traditional spices and it's doubtful they used lard because they were tasteless and so dry you had to take a sip of your drink to choke them down. I didn't taste the Spanish rice because I don't like it, but it was drenched in tomato sauce to such an extent that it was not even a semblance of light and fluffy rice, more like tomato rice soup. My husband's chile relleno was not that great either. He said it tasted like it came frozen out of a box, heated up and smothered in green and red sauce. He said the breading on the chile relleno was doughy with no flavor just a huge portion of cheese in the relleno and then smothered in hot sauces. They warn on their menu to be very careful because their sauces are so hot.. My husband will eat hot sauce so hot it makes his nose sweat! He said it wasn't very hot so I tasted it. I'm the person who gets the mild salsa from Taco Bell and the grocery store. I can't take any heat and I was eating that sauce just fine. Must've been an off day in the heat department. I've never had such badly prepared food in a restaurant in my life. What a disappointment! We immediately asked for a to go box to bring it home and see if the dogs liked it. They didn't. I don't recommend this restaurant to anyone under any circumstances even if you're starving and it's the only place open I would recommend you go to Walmart and get some at the deli. read more

I had a taste for Mexican food and wanted to try it out. When I arrived in the parking lot I was confused about where to park but found out after seeing people inside that the doors were open. They have a drive thru right next to and entrance that says drive thru only so that threw me off. It was very compact inside and filled with families so I knew the food was gonna be a hit. There seemed to be only two servers who were running around like crazy to get people their food. I ordered pickup and waited at least 10 minutes before my food came out because they were busy. I even picked it up 20 minutes late because I got busy so it would have been nice to have it ready to go. Nonetheless, the waitresses were nice even given the pressure they were under. My food was perfect. The best Mexican food place in the area in my opinion. Perfectly seasoned, enough food, and tasty. read more

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Food is always fresh! Our favorite is shredded beef burnt cheese tacos with extra salsa. Service is normal really good. Waitresses are friendly. Ambiance is clean-it's time for an update. It's a busy restaurant they can afford to class it up a bit. Restrooms are always clean. If you visit Las Vegas Kocina is a must try for that authentic northern NM vibe. read more

Kocina De Raphael - Shredded beef burnt cheese tacos - Mexican Near Me - Las Vegas, New Mexico

Terrible service today, ordered a bowl of menudo (should already be made) put in a bowl and serve it, but people who came in after me got served before me, waitress seemed to be preoccupied with other things. And a little rude. Well finally got menudo pretty tasteless, I tried to doctor it up, maybe I should have ordered tacos it's Tuesday read more

Excellent food and service. Cute little place. Very busy. Two servers and they were hopping the whole time.

Small place that is really, really busy and popular. They seem to be overwhelmed at busy times but the food is excellent, portions huge. Excellent food but be patient. read more

I called to place an order to go at 10:57am today. The female that answered the phone was the rudest chick ever! She basically hung up on me because I was asking her about the taco plate. " you know who you are" you are the person who gives Las Vegas a bad name. You should not be working in the restaurant business at all. If you employee this individual I would reconsider keeping her on your staff. I'm glad I was not there in person it wouldn't have been good. read more

Sat inside for 20 minutes , never was acknowledged. Service was too slow . Walked out

Service was really slow. The food wasn't that great. I ordered the taco plate and it was pretty plain. Also ordered chips and salsa since it's not complementary. The salsa was just hot but not very tasty. should have just went to a taco truck. read more

Kocina De Raphael - Taco plate - Mexican Near Me - Las Vegas, New Mexico

I was not very impressed with this restaurant. Our waitress seemed be in a big hurry and didn't have time for us. Should've left before we sat down. I realize all restaurants have staffing issues, I get it, but 2 hours to get our food, not normal. We asked for chips and salsa, that came about 15 minutes after we asked. Then we asked for more salsa, it took so long to get the salsa we ended eating most of the chips. I asked if we could get more chips, she yelled, we're out of chips. I didn't mean to not believe but when I looked toward the kitchen I noticed a clear container with about 10 gallons of chips in it. The Fajitas were good, the Frito Pie was real good, the stuffer was not edible and the Posole was cold, like out of the can cold! Probably won't ever come back read more

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I rate based on entire experience and this was a 4/5 barely. But mostly for friendly waitress (tho understaffed), great red sauce, and huuuuuuge portions. It's not a fancy place at all but it's quaint, has a drive through area, and cute yard/outdoor area. The prices aren't amazing but not bad upon first look but for the portion size you get I think the prices are very good. I had their special the huevos rancheros (7.99 instead of normal 8.99) Christmas style to try both sauces. I really liked their green sauce so don't get me wrong but compared to other places I thought their green was above the average good sauce around here. I made this dish two meals but if it didn't get so soggy (nature of that dish) I could have made it last 3. Their beans also I thought were above average. Tortilla was average. My companions both had bacon stuffies in red sauce which they all seemed to love- I'm just not big on bacon stuffed in anything since I feel like crispiness is compromised. *side note I had takeout their once as well when I was sick. Companions brought me Chile rellenos but I didn't try them till the next night being sick. They were very good but naturally soggy sitting in a takeout box for nearly a day and reheated in a microwave. Even soggy messes they were delicious, I'd love to try them fresh! Our service was mixed- extremely friendly waitress but I think they're just understaffed like everyone else. It became busier after we had our food and getting a to go box (you'll probably need it) and getting out took awhile. Definitely would go back again. read more

Kocina De Raphael - Huevos rancheros (now shown is side tortilla) - Mexican Near Me - Las Vegas, New Mexico

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The food was great. The service should be as great. It was difficult to listen to one of the waitresses training a new waitress talking down to her. I felt bad for her.. read more

A place where the locals eat and everyone knows everyone. That's part of the charm of local cafes. The food. Oh my. Where to start Spicy - yep Large portion - yep Tasty - you bet From the first bite to the last it was delicious We ordered the enchilada special and added an egg. Smothered in green and red (Christmas) and didn't regret it. This is why we travel monthly from CO for our fix Pull of the main drag and give this spot a try read more

Kocina De Raphael - Enchiladas with an added egg - Mexican Near Me - Las Vegas, New Mexico

Everything from wait staff is very rude to food. Won't go there again. When you get food poisoning several times that's something that needs to looked into.. read more

Closes at 8pm n its 7 pm n can't place an order n when calling phone was picked up n I was hung up on. N im a regular there.

Amazing food, great daily specials. Servers that really care to bring you quality food and friendly service. Table for party of four was packed with delicious fare. We went back three times plus had take out during a two week visit to Las Vegas...Definitely our favorite restaurant. read more

Fantastic food incredible service in the ambience was amazing The cheese enchilada was deductible. The burnt taco was mouthwatering, and the fajitas left you wanting more. read more

This restaurant has gone downhill their service is slow the never do take out orders they should go out of business since their worthless

We enjoyed ourselves on a Tuesday at about 1 pm we sat down . It was very empty inside with one other family there dining . Our waitress was fast to bring us our drinks & our orders came out hot and fresh tasting . We did the chicken tacos, enchiladas, chile relleno, & sides of beans & rice. Waitress checked on us often & refilled our drinks without asking . Super good Nee Mexico style grub just like I remember it 10 years ago . We love this place & think the little out food patio section they built is great ! See you again Kocina read more

On the advice of several locals, we stopped for lunch. Hubby ordered the roast beef tacos with posole and I got the green chili chicken soup. Our server was friendly and helpful even though she was slammed, and when she learned it was our first visit, she brought out samples of their red and green chili sauces; hence my choice of the green chili chicken soup. Both of our meals were delicious and obviously well prepared. The cost was less than $20 and we both took leftovers home. Can't wait to return before we leave the area. read more

Kocina De Raphael - Roast beef tacos and posole for hubby and green chili chicken soup with sopapillas. - Mexican Near Me - Las Vegas, New Mexico

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The customer service was great. The food was good. I had a combination plate that had a tamale, I didnt care for it or the beans. But loved the atmosphere. read more

So disappointed. I was so excited to eat New Mexican food while traveling through the state. Ordered take out- The Good: large portions, great staff, clean restaurant. The Bad: green chili was just chopped green peppers. Guacamole was just mashed avocados. It took almost an hour to get the food. THEY FORGOT MY SOPAPILLAS! Anything but the sopas! read more

I am very disappointed with my experience with this restaurant. I went on 8/23/22, in the drive thru line, at 6:13p, I was told it would take 20 minutes, and to wait at the parking lot. I began to wait and noticed other patrons receiving their orders after me... I went back to the window and asked about my order, it was given to me at 6:57p. Went to the hotel which was just a few minutes away. Opened my food, Stuffy was cold including the cheese, my nacho supreme was soggy, my server was Amberly S. and the cost was $26.00....so, it was a disaster and I'm letting others know of my experience. read more

Kocina De Raphael - a receipt on a laptop keyboard - Mexican Near Me - Las Vegas, New Mexico

Very good!! Found this on a road trip from Iowa to Albuquerque, it's a bit off the freeway, but worth the trip! I had the ground beef Zia Taco, hubs had the roast beef enchiladas, my son's had tacos and the stuffy (stuffed sopa). Everything was delicious, staff was super friendly. Definitely a must try!!! read more

First time I had supper here and was blown away with the quantity, taste, and most of all their Cappuccino. The salsa that came with their chips is hot!!! Made with real peppers from Mexico, it lit my tongue on fire. I had the steak Ranchero and the heat and spice was just right. The most unbelievable experience is their cappuccino:-). Being hesitant to order a coffee drink at a Mexican eatery had me not expecting much, but just to satisfy my Caffeine need and no Starbucks present. I was sold on sip three and now a few days later, back for a cappuccino and sopapilla. I certainly recommend the true south of the border ingredients the have in there meals as well as the Cappuccino. read more

Kocina De Raphael - Sopapilla and cappuccino, a great mid day snack - Mexican Near Me - Las Vegas, New Mexico

I can only hope, for as highly rated as this restaurant​ is, that my companions and I caught this place on a bad day. My geology classmates and I were in Las Vegas, NM for a month in order to complete field camp, a field methods class that is required for our BS Geology degrees at the University of Texas at Arlington. On an unplanned free day, some of us decided to try some local cuisine​, and this restaurant​ came highly rated from both the hotel we were staying in, as well as one of our professors that comes out here every year. We went at about 2:00 PM on a Sunday afternoon on​ May 26th. The restaurant​ was fairly busy​, but our group of five were seated right away. After submitting our orders, we waited for over 40 minutes​ without any sign of our meal, and we were not the only ones. It was as if the kitchen had come to a complete stop, with no explanation​ as to why. After about 45 minutes​ , we politely​ asked the manager if we needed to leave to lighten the load. (All of us had worked food service before, and had no interest in causing a scene​). He apologized​ profusely​, brought out some chips and salsa on the house (normally they charge for this), and half of the waitresses proceeded to bo back into the kitchen to prepare the entrees for their​ patrons. ​When our food finally did arrive, it was stone cold, as if it had been sitting on a counter. Everything was edible, but not superb​; nothing stood out as exceptional in either taste or presentation, and it especially was not worth $15 dollars. While we were eating, I noticed every other patron called over the manager to complain about some grievance​ or another. The family next to us, who were celebrating a birthday, complained of burnt chicken and hard tortillas (I watched both items being held up, and the tortillas knocked against the table like a hockey​ puck). The manager took pictures and the family left without eating anything. Many people also left the restaurant​ during the hour-long​ wait for their food. We were given a 10% discount by the manager, and we all tipped the waitress, as she did the best she would, and all of us wanted to help make her crappy day a little bit less terrible. All in all, it seems that there were internal employee problems​ that filtered out onto the floor and made everyone's day lousy. Even if it was a fluke day, when I come back to Las Vegas, I will not be returning here. read more

Kocina De Raphael - Mexican Near Me - Las Vegas, New Mexico

Bad service, I was charged a 5$ tip going through the pull up window and my burger was badly burnt, I was refunded for the burger but will never go back to this filth read more

Kocina De Raphael - Burnt and dry with no flavor - Mexican Near Me - Las Vegas, New Mexico

Very consistent, very delicious , and great service !!! Everything I eat is great , go down the menu n try every that least once.

Always very good. Traditional northern New Mexico fare. Service sometimes slow due to heavy traffic at the drive-up window, but that's a testament to how good is the grub. read more

This is, at best, a 3 Star joint. Having never been to Las Vegas, NM, I was looking for some good Mexican food and many of the Yelp! reviewers and local folks claimed this place was the best. I have to disagree on the following grounds: 1. The food was delicious, the portions large and the prices were fair enough. 5 Stars 2. The service was reprehensible! We never received chips. It took 30 minutes to get our drinks after ordering and then another 15-20 for us to place our order. I drink lots of tea and my glass was empty far more than it was full. 1 Star! I had the pork burnt cheese tacos and they were simply amazing. Rich cheese flavor and pork, so, so good. I also wanted to try the Green Chili Chicken soup and it was excellent. Lots of chicken, green chilis and just enough spice. Only drawback, it comes in this massive bowl and not a side size. Still awesome. Finished our meal with sopapillas. Luckily, we had to wait to check in to our hotel, so we weren't rushed because service was too slow, but the food was good. 5 Stars + 1 Star= 6 Stars/2 = 3 Stars at best. Maybe an off day, service wise. I doubt I'll ever know because I'm not going back! read more

Food was good. Big portions. Wait staff was slow and not very attentive. Couldn't get refills on drinks and waited forever for someone to take our order. read more

Classic authentic New Mexican breakfast awaits you at Kocina De Raphael. Waitstaff are friendly and attentive. We had their special of juevos ranchos w/red chile and juevos con chorizo. The plates were big enough to split. Definitely will return for the Frito Pie, which overflows on the plate! read more

Great food and service. Only negative was they were out of chips and salsa. Combonation plate was plenty of food. Loved the red chili and sopapillas were delicious. read more

Gave me the wrong order two times. Had me bring the food back from the hotel. Then put it on the table to be handed to the next customer. The place is gross. Do not eat the slop. read more

Good food, good portions and good price. I ordered some tacos with homemade shells and they were awesome. The posole had a little bit too much hominy but it had good flavor, no meat though. I ordered a stuffed sopapilla and it was awesome with the pork. They're red chile is not that hot but that's just my opinion and the only negative thing I would have to say would be the food needed a little salt but you can add that to your liking. Online and ordered it to go and the waitresses very friendly and very helpful and explained a few things on the menu to me. One good thing to know is they actually have a drive-thru. If you're in Las Vegas New Mexico I would definitely give this a try and don't let the outside appearance dissuade you from going in. read more

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Well we never got to try the food, so I can't speak for that. However, their service is absolutely crap. My husband waited at the counter to order food to take out, they helped SEVEN people and did not acknowledge my husband. Made no eye contact, completely ignored him. Nice way to treat a customer. Maybe it was because he was wearing swim trucks and a t-shirt, but what they don't know is they refused service to a 20 year Military Veteran. Pretty shitty of you ask me. I wouldn't give them my money if it was the last place on earth. read more

Stopped by here to take out some food. A bit slow on the service, but cheerful nonetheless. Looks like a place the locals patronize, cute dining room, clean, decorated eclectically. Taco plate (chicken) was good as was the carne adovada. What set this place apart were the sopapillas! Light, tasty, almost like a raised doughnut. The papitas had a spicy aroma and were muy bien. Large portions, enough carne adovada, beans, and papitas for another meal or two. read more

Great portion size and wonderful pork in the burnt cheese tacos! Posole was very bland. Salsa had an awesome bite that lingered! read more

Kocina De Raphael - Mexican Near Me - Las Vegas, New Mexico

I had the cheese enchiladas for lunch today with papitas on the side it was the best new Mexican cuisine I've had in New Mexico in the three years I've lived here. Everyone there was extremely friendly and helpful and attentive read more

Delicious food and great service. We ordered fajitas and posole. Portions were huge and the kids meals were adult size portions. What a great find... Don't let the look of the building outside deter you from a great meal! read more

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